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The world looks to them as Beacons of excellence. The companies behind these
buildings enhance their brand value. The Beacon stands above ALL of these buildings. The Beacon is the World’s Most Energy Sustainable Multiple Dwelling Building.
Emissions from burning carbon fuel KILL and cause climate change. The Beacon will therefore save lives and will be located in Hemel Hempstead.

What will that do to inward investment for Dacorum Borough Council?
Will the town and residents be proud to host a building that will show the World, that Britain is Great Again? The Beacon, a landmark building for Hemel Hempstead and Dacorum Borough Council.

Despite successive policies over 40 years, the World has FAILED to uncouple the love affair humanity has with the car. The rate of car ownership has grown steadily and in a linear fashion. Local authorities have tried forcing developments with no parking on the basis that this will force people not to own cars. Instead people have simply parked on side roads and caused traffic to slow, which in turn has increased emissions, which kill and increase climate change.

It is therefore logical that where we have a limited supply of land ( i.e. on an island such as the UK), the best place to put cars is underground. Cars are better protected underground or in a garage. If they are off the side roads, traffic flows better.
With the exception of London, basement car parks are not developed. Why? The flawed assumption is that they cost too much. This is simply not true. Hence,
The Beacon has 313 car parking spaces underground. This is a greater capacity than the Watergarden Upper Deck Car park in the town center in a quarter of the space. People can own cars and park them underground and keep them off the street, or people can share the electric cars and bikes offered by The Beacon.

Infrastructure

It is a truism that investment follows demand. Local and National Government invest in schools, roads and health centers after capacity of existing services have been exceeded. Whilst it is hugely upsetting to see developments where there is seemingly no capacity in infrastructure, it is also true that without development, infrastructure will not grow. Funding for infrastructure development comes from developers. The latest tax on developers over and above corporation tax is the Community Infrastructure Levy which is a formula which calculates the contribution the developer has to makes to the Community Infrastructure.
Developers also provide contribution towards social housing. Without development, funding for infrastructure and social housing would be greatly diminished.
Add to this that local authorities revenue is raised from council tax and business rates and it follows that the quality of all residents lives are improved with sustainable ethical development. Notwithstanding the social and moral imperative that we need to house 26 million people within 84 years and provides places for these people to work, teach, play and be cared for.

“The Beacon is contributing £5m to Dacorum Borough Council in terms of social housing and Community Infrastructure Levy fees. “